Priority
by Mia M. Turner
Summary: Mike made certain his children knew the meaning of the word 'priority' from the moment they were old enough to understand. A three-shot detailing the major events in the O'Donnell family's life up until the divorce.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N:** So my multi-chapter muse came to visit, and I swear, this one WILL get finished unlike my other stories, because I know where I'm going with this one.

I don't like this first chapter very much; I was struck with a horrendous case of writer's block this weekend and I feel some of this is awkwardly written and rushed... I dunno, you all tell me what you think.

Though I must say, it was very distracting writing this, considering Mike's still 19, I'm going to assume he still looked like Zac. And the idea of Zac doing or saying some of the things in this fic was too adorable for words. ;)

I'll have the next chapter up as soon as possible. Enjoy!

**Disclaimer: **I don't own 17 Again.

Mike O'Donnell was the very picture of composure.

Of course, he was _anything_ but calm. But he refused to let anyone else see that.

He sat slightly slumped in his seat, a pair of sunglasses hiding his emotionless eyes, hands in his pockets. Just your average 19-year-old boy...

"Daddy!"

Mike lowered his sunglasses and allowed a goofy smile to overtake his collected facade.

"There's my girl!" He kneeled down and held out his arms. His 3-year-old daughter Maggie ran into them and wrapped her arms around his neck, giggling the entire time. "Did you have fun at Grandma's?"

The little girl made a face. "I like Gramma, but her house is boring!" Mike laughed and hugged his little girl, lifting her onto his lap. "So... is my little sister here yet?"

"Maggie, I've told you before, it _might_ be a boy," he reminded her. Maggie folded her arms.

"I think it will be a girl. And I'm gonna teach her how to play house and dolls. I can't wait!" Mike chuckled again and snuggled Maggie close to him.

He sighed, the anticipation starting to get to him. He couldn't believe he and Scarlett were going to have another baby. He leaned his head back and smiled again. He was going to have the complete, perfect family he'd always wanted in just a matter of time. Things couldn't get more wonderful than they were now...

Mike contently closed his eyes, hands resting on the back of his head, bouncing his daughter up and down on his knee. They stayed this way for several minutes until Maggie spoke up.

"What's mommy doing in there anyway? Is that where the stork's gonna bring the baby?"

Mike smiled and nodded. "Yes, it is. And he gets lost on the way sometimes, so we have to be patient."

No sooner had the words come out of his mouth than an ear-piearcing shriek was heard from the other side of the door, causing both Mike and Maggie to jump.

"What was that?" the frightened toddler asked.

"That was, uh... Mommy's just so excited that the stork is coming that she, uh... is screaming in happiness..." he ended lamely. Maggie shook her head, not buying it.

"It sounds like she's hurting!"

"Why don't we head down to cafeteria and I'll buy you an ice cream, Mags?"

Maggie smiled, apparently forgetting about her mother's screams, and nodded vigorously. He sighed in relief and led his little girl down the hall.

---

Mike grinned from ear to ear as he held the tiny, newborn bundle in his arms. He felt every memory of the day Maggie was born come flooding back to his mind. He was certain that feeling would never come about again, and here it was, in the form of Alexander Michael O'Donnell.

Maggie stood on her toes, jumping up and down trying to get a better look.

"Let me see her! What's her name?" She clapped her hands in excitement as Mike kneeled down to her level.

"_His_ name is Alex."

Maggie's smile slid straight off her face.

"_His_?" she folded her arms and pouted. "Give it back to the stork, tell him we want a _girl_."

Mike chuckled and stood back up. "Maggie, if we did that, we'd hurt the stork's feelings."

Maggie shook her head. "I don't care. He got it all wrong. I asked for a little _sister_. You can't dress up a boy or teach it to play Barbie with you."

Mike pinched the bridge of his nose in exasperation. Maggie had the uncanny ability of reminded him that he and Scarlett were still just kids themselves. Kids who simply didn't have the solution to every problem their daughter brought about.

"Mags, listen... I know you're disappointed, but Alex is family. And what do we say about family?"

Maggie frowned. "It's a 'proiridity'..."

"_Priority_," he corrected her. "And that means it comes first, remember?"

Maggie rolled her eyes and nodded. "Yes, Daddy. I guess I can still find something to teach him to do... Even if he is a _boy_..."

"That's my girl," Mike smiled and patted her head. Maggie gave a smile to match her father's and rushed off to the other side of the room to curl up with her mother. Mike smiled and looked down again at the little boy in his arms. He wasn't much more than a few hours old, but he could swear that he still looked just like him. He held the newborn close and whispered as he rocked him back and forth.

"I promise I'll be the perfect father..."

Scarlett sighed from the other side of the room, pretending she didn't hear, as she closed her eyes and drifted off into a peaceful sleep, knowing she and her babies would be taken care of for life.

**A/N: **Ah, hindsight is always 20/20 :) Will get the next chapter up as soon as possible.


	2. Chapter 2

"Unca Neb!"

Mike scoffed and lifted his son off his best friend's lap.

"Say _Dada_, Alex. _Dada_."

"Neb, Neb!" Alex giggled and clapped his hands together, pleased at the attention his father was giving him. Mike sighed and set his son down on the spacious patio. Scarlett had taken Maggie to a dentist appointment, leaving Mike alone with his one-and-a-half-year-old son. It was a beautiful day outside, so he took the opportunity to get Alex out to crawl around, and hopefully try taking a few steps.

"How is it that he learns to say _your _name before his own father's?" Mike complained as he watched Alex wobble into a standing position. Ned smirked at him.

"Maybe he likes me more," he joked. Mike sighed, apparently taking him a little too seriously.

"Yea, that would just be the cherry on this perfect life I'm leading, wouldn't it? Maggie's started calling me 'mean daddy', Scar's getting on my case for not paying enough attention to the kids... Somehow I wouldn't be surprised to find out my only son likes _you_ more than me."

"Just a few months ago you said things couldn't get any more perfect," Ned reminded him.

"Yea, exactly. And that means things can only get worse. I _thought_ I'd made the right choice, throwing the game and going after her... Now I'm not so sure."

Ned made a face. "It can't be that bad--"

"Look around, Ned!" Mike interrupted, gesturing to the spacious mansion his friend had recently acquired. "Easy for you to say, I'd say things are going _pretty_ swimmingly for you."

"Where exactly is this turn in mood coming from? All you ever talked about in high school was having a family someday. Isn't that what you have?"

Mike sighed and looked on lovingly at Alex as he crawled across the patio.

"I love them, Ned. More than anything else in the world... It's just... I've started wondering what would have happened if I hadn't run away. I could have had a family, _and _a job that I actually _enjoy_... I can't help thinking of all the things I could be doing right now if I hadn't asked Scar to marry me. I'm almost 21 and I'm already settled down for life. I just... don't like it." Mike finished off his rant with a frown.

Ned sighed and turned to face Mike. "So why _did_ you run away then?"

Mike ran a hand through his hair. "I dunno... I guess--"

"Wa wa!"

"Yes Alex, 'wa wa'. I guess I just didn't picture it like _this_. I thought we could have Maggie, let things settle down a bit, and then get back to the way things were in high school," he sighed. "I was young and stupid, alright? I didn't realize at the time just how much would change."

Ned shrugged again. "Still can't say I understand you. You have a wife that loves you and two great kids. Most teen fathers aren't lucky enough to walk away with what you have." Ned sighed when Mike just ignored him. "Listen, did you ever stop to think that maybe Scarlett asked you to pay more attention to the kids because you _don't pay enough attention to them_?" A small splash broke Ned's attention away from the conversation.

"I _do_ pay enough attention to them!" he snapped. Mike reached over to pick Alex up to prove his point. "... Alex?" Mike frantically shook his head, trying to locate his son. "Alright, just relax..." he assured himself. "He couldn't have gotten far... he can't even walk yet..."

Mike's heart stopped when he realized what the splashing sound was. He sprinted to the edge of the pool, nearly falling in himself, and lifted his son out before he could sink any further. Panicking, he held the toddler close to his chest and lightly pounded his back until he heard the faint sound of little coughs.

Mike sighed in relief and held Alex as tight as he could without breaking the little boy in half.

"I'm sorry, Alex... I'm so sorry..."

Alex coughed again before looking up into his father's eyes and giggling profusely. "Wa wa!" Mike sighed and rocked Alex back and forth.

"No more wa wa, Alex. Daddy's nerves can't handle that..." Mike sighed and looked over at Ned, who just stared at him.

"... So I'm guessing he learned to walk then."

"Yea, that'd be a safe bet to make," Mike responded, sneering at him.

"What was that you were saying about paying attention to your kids?"

"Shut up, Ned." Mike pinched the bridge of his nose. "Not a _word_ of this to Scarlett, you understand me? She does _not_ need to know this happened."

Ned bit his lip before responding. "Oh, I think that won't be a problem..."

Mike raised and eyebrow and turned around to see what Ned was staring at.

And staring right back at him was a very peeved-looking Scarlett.

Mike guessed he would be sleeping on the couch that night.


End file.
